Archives for September 29, 2015

'The difference-maker is rookie fifth-round draft choice Karlos Williams who has provided a double dose of vindication for general manager Doug Whaley.'

'At the absolute height of domestic-abuse awareness in the NFL, the Buffalo Bills general manager drafted two players with baggage — cornerback Ronald Darby in the second round and running back Karlos Williams in the fifth.'

'The Bills have a big investment in McCoy. If he’s not effective, he shouldn’t be out there. If he’s playing hurt to justify his contract, or because he’s afraid of being upstaged by a rookie, someone needs to talk sense into him. It’s in the best interest of the Bills to get McCoy healthy and ready for a playoff run. McCoy admitted after Sunday’s game that he “can’t get that acceleration, that burst.” Why play in a compromised state if the team has a gifted backup?'

'“Obviously it’s too early in the week to tell” if they’ll be able to play in Week Four, “but we’ve got to go in thinking that the next guy is going to have to step up and do a good job for us,” Ryan said. “We’ve got to be ready to roll.”'

'Karlos Williams. This kid is the real deal, a strong, powerful runner who also has a burst to break away, which we saw on his 41-yard touchdown burst in the fourth quarter. LeSean McCoy is not healthy, and if I'm the Bills this week, I sit him out against the Giants. Right now, Williams is the better player because he's healthy, and his running style seems perfectly suited to the way the Bills want to attack on the ground.'

'Newcomers Charles Clay, Percy Harvin, Richie Incognito, Tyrod Taylor, Ron Darby, Karlos Williams and McCoy — players who came to Buffalo with either character, contract or experience concerns — each made a significant contribution. If you still think Taylor isn’t anything special, you probably think cell phones will never catch on.'

'"I pulled out the tricks. But what I did was I told them the truth. As I mentioned, our bounce-back started in the fourth quarter of that New England game. Back when it's easy to throw out the white flag and you're down all those scores, we did the opposite. We made it a game against a team that was trying to stick it to you. We know it, everybody knows it. I'm the only guy who'll admit it. So we knew it. I can tell you this, we're a talented team. I'm finding out a lot about this team, but they showed me a lot about their heart and resiliency so I expected us to play well when we went to Miami."'

'"It's not concerns," Ryan said of the injuries. "I think concern's not the right word. We talk to our players, we challenge our players all the time about, 'You've got to be ready to go.' Everybody on that roster has to be ready to go. You're one play away. That's the old saying, but it's true now. If you don't finish a game, most of the time, the following week those players aren't available. Whether they are or they're not, obviously it's too early in the week to tell, but we've got to go in thinking that the next guy is going to have to step up and do a good job for us."'

'For the second time in three games, Seantrel Henderson was among the Bills' worst-graded players on Pro Football Focus. He received a minus-4.0 grade even though he allowed just one hurry. The Bills' offensive line, as a whole, played better in Week 3, but there is still a bit of uncertainty on the right side of the line.'

'"This is how we should play for the rest of the year," Bradham said.'

'One area of concern might by LeSean McCoy. Right now he's Buffalo's second best back. Williams outgained his highly touted teammate 110 to 16 yards Sunday. Williams is running more like a first rounder that the fifth rounder he was. He runs tough north-south and showed breakaway speed on his 41 yard touchdown run. McCoy is probably still feeling the effects of a hamstring injury. A little quality depth doesn't hurt, if that's what you really want to consider Karlos.'

'"He's real dynamic," Ayers said. "If he can't find someone open and he decides to take off and run, [Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie" target="_blank"> might have to come save us. He's super-fast and he's smart. He's not just running. He's not just going through one read, not seeing it and taking off and running like a lot of mobile quarterbacks do. He's going through his progressions."'

'Taylor's 136.7 passer rating on Sunday was the highest by a Bills quarterback since Drew Bledsoe posted a 144.2 rating in a Sept. 14, 2003, win over Jacksonville.'

'Ryan said "it's a possibility" Watkins won't be available this week. Bills players had Monday off.'

'"Sammy Watkins going out with a calf, that's a big concern because obviously that's a mismatch if he's healthy and we can take advantage of it," said coach Rex Ryan. "It's the calf and obviously he couldn't press off it at the end to where he could go out and play."'